Workshop to showcase citizen input on Kalamazoo master plan

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A two-day workshop will begin a transition toward the next step in creating a blueprint for Kalamazoo's future.

Months of neighborhood meetings on the city's strategic vision and master plan process will culminate with a downtown workshop held April 11 and 12 at the Rose Street Market. Community Planning and Development Director Rebekah Kik said the meeting will reveal the result of input gathered from a series of formal meetings, online forums and one-on-one conversations with city residents throughout the last year.

A strategic vision provides direction to city projects and policies. The master plan is a state-mandated guide to land use regulation, development actions and decisions as well as public infrastructure to support land use activities.

This is the final step in the drafting process, next the vision and master plan will be formalized into a draft. A final vote on the Imagine Kalamazoo Master Plan and Strategic Vision is expected sometime in June.

Urban designers, city staff, and organizations from throughout Kalamazoo will be on hand to answer questions, accept feedback and discuss projects from 4 to 7 p.m. on April 11. On the second day, maps and other visual representations of design concepts will be shown off during a community open house from 4 to 6 p.m, after which Mayor Bobby Hopewell will give a formal presentation on the downtown's future.

"It's an open invitation, we would love to have people come," said City Manager Jim Ritsema. "It's an open house setting to let people speak to what they want to see in their downtown."

Ritsema said he can't predict how downtown will change, but would like to see a southern extension of the Kalamazoo Mall past the State Theater. Residential developments will also be an important part of creating a more vibrant downtown, he said.

In the neighborhoods, Kik said each group of residents had different priorities for the future of their city. However, accessible sidewalks, adequate lighting, bus routes, and ensuring an overall ease of transportation were among the most requested changes to the city.

Ritsema said the city is working to address streets with poor accessibility, and will use the Imagine Kalamazoo process to identify higher priority areas with the help of residents. The City Commission adopted a supporting the creation of a Complete Streets Policy in 2016, which is also being drafted for approval this spring.

In addition to construction projects, the planning process has sought input on equity and opportunity in the city and how to enhance a sense of community in neighborhoods.

An online tool used to solicit feedback asked residents to tag neighborhood points of pride and community gathering places on an interactive map. Some locations included the Kalamazoo Farmer's Market, Kik Pool, Washington Square Branch Library and the Kalamazoo Mall and various parks.

Findings from the master plan process will also inform the City Commission when it prioritizes $10 million in non-earmarked funds from the Foundation for Excellence. The endowment fund was created by local philanthropists to complement the city budget.

Kik was recently promoted from city planner to replace previous director Laura Lam, who was hired to fill a assistant city manager position specifically focused on implementing the process of choosing projects designed to improve the city.

Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 will identify goals, programs and projects that address the wants and needs of residents. Projects are then scored based on how well it achieves one of eight broad goals to improve the city. Those which score highly and align with the commission's prioritized community results will be favored for funding.